Residents of Bungoma County have been urged to change their negative attitude towards technical skills instead use available institutions to equip their children with the skills.

In an exclusive interview with West FM in his office, the Kisiwa Technical Training Institute Moses Kiprono said development in Bungoma County will entirely depend on the availability of skilled manpower in the region.

He warned that if parents will continue to underrating technical education, then Bungoma County will be forced to import man power from other counties despite the availability of technical schools in the county.

The Principal disclosed that next month the institution will receive equipment worth Sh100million from China which will see the college introduce and major in electrical electronics courses.

‘’There is no single university in Kenya with the equipment, it is only Kenya polytechnic, once here, Kisiwa will begin producing and repairing electronic appliances such as radios, televisions among other electronics,’’  Mr. Kiprono pointed out.

He said in 2009 when the institution was upgraded to a technical institution from a village polytechnic, it only admitted 17 students that particular year but the population at over 550 students as per end of last year’s records.

The principal said that the institution is faced with an acute shortage of land currently resting on a two and a half acres of land, however, he says “We are grateful that  CDF has agreed to give 2M to purchase two acres of land which we will basically use as playing grounds,’’ he disclosed.

In addition, Mr. Kiprono said the institution will introduce exchange programs with other technical institutions in Western province, citing, Matili, Shamberere and Bushangala in a move to ensure they produce qualified and competent personnel for the region especially at this wake of county governments.

Further, the Principal encouraged the locals to invest in hostels and rental houses to house tutors and students saying that they will not construct hostels to ensure locals benefit from the institution.

About the catchment area of students, he said the locals only amount to a mere 30 percent while the rest come from other parts of the country.  

‘’This is a problem to almost all institutions which are not in urban areas because there is a mentality where students want to be associated with institutions away from their homes, but the matrix has changed because with over 100 applications this, 60 percent come from Bungoma County,’’ he said.